Late Change Requests – Here’s The Project Manager’s Real Test!!

Change is the only constant, they say. When you consider the case of projects, this is especially true. Late changes occur all the time in the case of projects and the Project Manager needs to ensure that they are being effectively managed. Here are a few reasons why ‘Late Changes’ might be requested,

Stakeholder Confusion : Many times, the stakeholders aren’t sure of what they want and how much time it might take. Hence, they might request something at the outset and change their requirement at a later date.

Other Influences : A project is influenced by the business scenario, world affairs, and even the industry. Therefore, all of these factors can have an influence on the project’s requirements and might warrant late changes.

Given that most project teams are highly professional, scope changes are not a major issue. However, the real issue arises when these changes are requested very late in the project’s lifecycle. Let’s consider the case of a project team that is working on a really long project. They have been involved with the project for a while, and suddenly there is a change request which might take up a lot of their time. This can make a dent on the motivation and morale of the people who are working on the project.

This is the real time when the Project Manager needs to exhibit his/her leadership skills. A fair amount of people-management skills are required and only that can ensure that the changes are smoothly incorporated in the project. Here are some tips that you can try,

Giving them the perspective : The first task of a Project Manager is to give his/her team a perspective. There is a direct and an indirect form of communication. In case of a displeasing news (like a change request), one needs to adopt the indirect form where the background and circumstances are explained before the proposed changes are communicated with the team. The team needs to build a perspective and understand the significance of that change.

Acknowledge the problems : You have to understand and appreciate that your team doesn’t really like this change request. The reason for the same is absolutely valid. You have to be your team’s representative, and acknowledge the problems that they will face in executing the request.

Be motivational : You need to keep motivating the team. It is in the time of adversity that a leader has to step in and use various motivational tools to keep the team going.

Individual Communication : Not only do you need to converse with the team, but you also need to speak with each individual. This is a great way of confronting each one of them and tackling their pain points. There are some individuals who might not speak up during a team conversation, but give out some important points when spoken with on a one-to-one basis.

Management involvement : You might also want to get the management involved at this level. Involving executives, who are higher up in the hierarchy, to communicate with the team will make each individual feel important and valued.

Incentives : There has to be some incentive for the team to work the extra hours. This can be in the form of appreciation and acknowledgement. On the other hand, it can also mean small things like pizza for all those who work overtime or donuts in the morning.

Clients’ involvement : Like the involvement of the management, the contribution of the clients is important too. The Project Manager needs to involve the clients and get them to speak with the team.

Proactive Communication : What is also essential is that the project manager needs to continuously inform the team about the progress of the project and what efforts still need to be exerted.

Recognize Milestones : Each project is made up of milestones and mini-milestones. Acknowledging and celebrating these milestones are a great way of boosting team motivation. They are kept informed about how every step is important and how they are moving towards the completion of the project with every single step.

Therefore, changes in a project can cause major disruption, and it is the role of the Project Manager to ensure that the team stays motivated to do the job. This can be done with impeccable communication and use of other motivational tools.

Vikrant Bhalodia

Head of Operations @ Webline Group, A Google Certified Professional.

A strategic thinker and a resource optimizer, with the ability to work effectively across all the levels of his functional areas, has expertise in aligning the operational resources successfully to optimize the processes.

Reconnoitring new things drives him and when he is not working, you will find him sketching cartoons and doing mystery shopping.